Monday, June 24, 2019

Dears-

The weather here is beautiful, cool and sunny. I'm in a funk but this morning I went into my studio and threw some colors on canvas. Now the long awaited dog walk and a trip to the pea patch to weed and water and harvest.

A few nights ago I went to a reading by Ocean Vuong for his new book, "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous." I'm still in a state of wonderment. I have his book of poetry, "Night Sky With Exit Wounds" after encountering his work in the NYT. I taped them to my kitchen wall. You know when you read something that makes the landscape tip and suddenly the trees and sky are unfamiliar and you've entered a new reality? His work and his Q and A after he read!!! Please look for him on youtube.
My silent retreat was transformative. Sitting with nuns who have given their lives to the study of the Dharma, how to explain the warmth and kindness of their regard for all of us? I'm still mining the work I did in that week. It's taken me a while to 'come back' or maybe I've stepped over a threshold into some new understanding.

My little cat just caught and ate a spider while I was sitting here.

Being with the mystery today.

2 comments:

am said...

Yes. Mystery.

Can't thank you enough for your introduction to Ocean Vuong, which led me to this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQl_qbWwCwU

37paddington said...

It's interesting that one can have a restorative transformative retreat and then feel in a funk. I get it. It's almost harder to be with what is when one has glimpsed what could be, and in a sense, also is. Not sure I'm making sense. I havent read Ocean Vuong's book yet, but I remember when I saw the title I thought it was one of the most beautiful I'd ever heard.